The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-01-14
LOTTIE REXDAL.
FROM THE YANKEE BLADE.


FROM THE YANKEE BLADE.
Marry you? Why, no Vane, OF
course won't! Your senses must
have gone wool-gathering. / always
told you chat intended to we'd a
man with blue eyes; and with hair
and mustache of the Celestial rosy
and you are dark. Besides, you are
twenty-six years old and a theologi-
cal student-two things I never could
tolerate in the man ! shall honor{2)
with my hand and heart"
Lovely Lottie Rexdal gave a very
wicked little laugh as she pushed the
end OF l.sS red silk parasol into the
mellow soil under the apple tree, ,at the
same time glandins saucily up at her
coneanion, q scholarly young man.
Why did you ask me?" sheresumed.
because / wanted to be made fun
cf, to be ridiculed by the little maiden
love SO hopelessly, !" replied yane
Winton, smiling sadly at the piquant
young lady perched on the back OF an
old rustic garden seat, her brown friz-
res falling roguishly into her dancing
brown eyes.
Now that doesn't sound one bit
like our aVane, who studies the good
book and cultivates an ice.cream
complexion" flashed Lottie, digging
vigorously with the end OF her parasol
in the dirt.
An ice-cream complexion?" re-
peated Vane, a little mystifed at the
unheard-of term.
Eyes, that's Lottie Rexdal's term
Tor students complexions such as
yours. Vane, you are such an old
bookworm, you shut yourself up with
your big musty volumes, until your
face is just the color OF ice-cream,"
and o mischievous smile illumined the
pretty face.
III you would only be grave for a
while, Lcttie, ] might talk to you,"
pleaded Vane.
Yes; but just be merciful enough to
consider that there is not q thimble-
ful OF gravity in me, vane. When you
become q regular divine should get
you into all sorts of scrapes, and
your clerical friends would shun you
in. consequence of your display OF de-
PRAYED judgement in the selection of
a wife"
aIf am willing to run the risk,
what difference will it be to them?"
said Vane, giving the best reason his
irritated mind affordad at that mo-
ment.
HAhi but / am not. Marry some
steady, sensible girl. Alice May will
be here to visit your mother in an
hour, Lay aside your extreme book
ishness, be halfway polite, and you
may captivate her. Miss May is high
ly cultured, not addicted to such fri
yolities as skating Kinks, ETC., as am.
She will not be less than sublime in
your eyes. And Vane--"
But Vane Winton did not wait to
hear more. He walked of, leaving
Lottie Rexdal laughing merrily.
Lottie was the ward OF Vane Win.
tons kind old father.
She had been left an orphan at
very early age. A maiden aunt had
then taken care of her. When she was
but ten her relative died. Before her
death the maiden aunt sent for Mr.
Winton, her girlhood's lover, and Sc.
cured his promise to care for the Or
phan girl. Mr.. Winton had brought
Lottie TO her present home, and the
kind old folks had always petted and
huinored her beyond measure.
Vane was the only child OF wealthy
parents. When Lottie had come to
live with them he was in Europe fin
ishing his education. When he return.
ed three years later he found his "ward-
sister," as he had named her in his
letters, away at some school for girls.
It so happened that Vane and Lot
tie had never met until the latter was
seventeen, Vane having been travel
ing in various parts Of the United
States during Lottie's vacations.
Vane Winton was a fine scholar,
but had never studied any profession.
Now, at the age OF twenty-six. realiz-
ing, perhaps, that life of idleness
would never suit him, he was study
ing for the ministry.
Vane found IL almost impossible
some days to devote his mind to the
ology amidst the tempest which the
little whirlwind, Lottie Rexdal, stirred
up. She threw open the unused piano
4 ane made the room re echo with
her clear, bell-like notes. She filled
tho library with flowers and monde
script specimens which she had found
( In the woods or on the mountains
near She tossed up yane's big books
in II dreadful manner and even
scribbled on one OF his embryo SER
mons. She rode every horse on the
place, romped with Prince, the great
shaggy Newfoundland, tore her dresses
shoskingly, went bare-headed until she
was brown as q chestnut, aud turned
the wide halls into skating rink
that nerve-annoying invention of the
present age.
Lottie vas utterly spoiled by both
Mr.. and Mrs. Winton. Al first, Vane
had been shocked at her hoydenish
ways.
4 But the more he studied her original
character, the greater he became rec
onciled to Lottie' g moods. Tolerance
gave place to admiration, and that in
time, to love.
vane Winton had always longed to
discover woman IN whose character
hehoped to find originality and free
dom from nfiectation and deceit. In
Lottiehe believed he had found, not
! his ideal exactly, but the elements out